Elon Musk Advocates for Transparency in Government Reform Initiative

The billionaire Elon Musk stated during an Oval Office appearance on Tuesday that he is providing maximum transparency in his government cost-cutting initiative. However, he did not present any evidence for his sweeping claims regarding corruption within the federal bureaucracy.

Responding to media questions for the first time since his arrival in Washington to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, Mr. Musk stood beside President Trump and emphasized his commitment to the public interest and democracy. He argued that if bureaucrats are in control, the essence of democracy is undermined.

Among his claims, which he made without supporting evidence, Mr. Musk mentioned that certain officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development had been involved in "kickbacks." He also alleged that a number of bureaucrats had inexplicably amassed tens of millions of dollars in personal wealth while in their positions, and bizarrely claimed that some Social Security recipients could be as old as 150.

"We are trying to be as transparent as possible," Mr. Musk stated, referring to communication through his social media platform, X. He went further to claim, "I don’t know of a case where an organization has been more transparent than the DOGE organization."

Contrary to his claims, Mr. Musk's operations appear to be shrouded in secrecy, with his team conducting unexpected visits to federal agencies and accessing sensitive data systems. As a "special government employee," Mr. Musk's financial disclosure has not been made public, as confirmed by the White House.

His appearance coincided with the signing of new executive orders aimed at supporting his cost-cutting initiative. These orders compel agency heads to seek significant workforce reductions and grant Mr. Musk's team a greater role in managing future hiring.

The remarks sparked criticism regarding Musk's apparent concentration of power and lack of accountability, which has also troubled the president in interactions with reporters. Various lawsuits have been initiated against the Trump administration's efforts to transform the bureaucracy, with some federal judges halting these initiatives pending legal review.

President Trump supported Musk's views, asserting that the initiative aligns with his campaign promise to renovate the federal government and eliminate what he refers to as the "deep state." His earlier plan to have Musk audit government operations has also taken shape since he assumed the presidency.

Trump expressed discontent toward judges who have acted against his administration, stating his intention to appeal such rulings while still complying with them. Recently, a federal judge directed the administration to release significant funds, an order that is currently being appealed.

On his platform X, Mr. Musk remarked on what he termed a "judicial coup" aimed at undermining Mr. Trump.

Musk, who had not fielded questions from the press since Election Day, wore a black "MAGA" hat, reportedly signed by Trump, during the press event. He defended his team's work against allegations of operating without oversight and addressed concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest linked to contracts between his companies and federal agencies.

He insisted on the necessity for accountability within the civil service, which he described as an "unelected, fourth, unconstitutional branch of government." Musk reiterated that the bureaucracy has acquired power exceeding that of elected officials and does not reflect the will of the populace.

While recognizing that mistakes could occur while implementing cuts, Musk assured that any excessive reductions would be reversed, stating, "Some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected. Nobody's going to bat 1.000," a reference to a prior inaccurate claim concerning foreign aid. "We will make mistakes. But we'll act quickly to correct any mistakes."